About Us
This
is a holistic education programme, teaching and then testing the
student in moral, cultural and ancient science and technology (On which
entire modern science is based) of India. This programme is a part of
multifarious activities of
Shantikunj head-quartered at Haridwar, a World famous international spiritual organisation known as
All World Gayatri Pariwar created by the great ascetic Pt. Sri Ram Sharma Acharya.
Our
Education system began with the Gurukuls and the Gurus, without any
commercial aspect involved. This system imparted holistic education and
laid more emphasis on wisdom (Wisdom is necessary for the fulfillment of
the needs of the soul) and knowledge (Knowledge is required to earn
money to fulfill physical needs and comforts). Today we have changed
version of it. Knowledge takes complete precedence over wisdom, which is
the cause of present anarchy and chaos in the world today. The Guru
Dakshinas (Fees etc.) of these days are high, as against the olden
times, wherein Guru Dakshina was a sacred agreement between the Guru and
the disciple whence the Guru ordained his disciple to use his knowledge
and wisdom to work for the good of the humanity. The system of
education that is being followed today is a perverse conceptualization
of that era.
The education of today is still based on a rigid British structure even after more than sixty years of independence.
It epitomizes which the British created to deliberately destroy our culture and civilization.
Macaulay’s
European structure of studies still dominates our present day education
system. Lord Macaulay’s address to the British Parliament on 2 February
1835 is as follows
“I have traveled across the length and
breadth of India and I have not seen one person who is a beggar, who is a
thief, such wealth I have seen in this country, such high moral values,
people of such caliber, that I do not think we would ever conquer this
country, unless we break the very backbone of this nation, which is her
spiritual and cultural heritage, and, therefore, I propose that we
replace her old and ancient education system, her culture, for if the
Indians think that all that is foreign and English is good and greater
than their own, they will lose their self esteem, their native culture
and they will become what we want them, a truly dominated nation”
Sadly,
even before independence and after independence, there has not been
major changes in the value system as such. In both the cases the
education set up is dominated by the power structures. Earlier, it was
the British and now, the governments. In a way, we have the adults
deciding what the children should read.
The technical
definition of literacy is the ability to read and write. In reality our
educational institutes are factories, churning out people who are
educated but not learned. In fact they can be called illiterate as they
lack spirituality and wisdom. Knowledge molds you in your life while
wisdom helps you to get educated to mold you and your life. So, we have
adults who are nothing but children reduced in dimensions. With time,
the system is worsening in its reach and creativity.
There
is an immediate need to revamp the education system which means
providing the students with a system that gives them enough space to be
themselves. We need to provide them with opportunities and facilities to
promote their ideas in new directions.
Ramanujam
failed in all subjects other than mathematics. He was invited to England
where they tried to teach him modern mathematical theory. All their
efforts failed because he had host of original ideas of mathematical
theories of which British were not even aware of. He was born in an
ordinary but a highly religious family who had great regard for Indian
cultural traditions; hence wisdom was ingrained in his mind since birth.
Hence it was wisdom and not knowledge of mathematics, really, which
made him one of the greatest mathematicians of the world. When we talk
of education system in the present scenario, this is what we lack most.
We follow the same set of values, the same way of approaching all
children, without realizing that every child is different from the
other. The only way to create commonality in our children is the
understanding of our noble culture, irrespective of the education stream
they are pursuing. Our great Indian culture, thus, is a great uniting
force of the minds too. Education enhances the dignity of a human being
and increases his or her self-respect. If only the real sense of
education could be realized by each individual...the world will be a
much better place to live in.”
To achieve this, we have
devised BSGP course material in the way which satisfies a child’s
natural hunger for knowledge which is beneficial for the suffering
humanity. Though, it is already too late for the world to recognize that
our present education system is detrimental for the future of the
coming generations but we at our end are making sincere and persistent
efforts to prevent this impending catastrophe.
Various models of imparting education at the school level are in vogue.
In
western world outcomes-based education or standard based education,
which is an objectives-based assessment of student’s performance, are
being used.
However, outcomes-based education is materialistic
in nature and not holistic. Because the emphasis in this system is on
higher academic standards and not value based education. The system does
not adequately inculcate the educational and cultural values among
students. Therefore, a holistic approach to students’ education is
needed, one that provides complete education of mind ,body and soul
.Even in western world, about two decades ago it was realized to create a
more lively perception of values, thinking, and behavior that follow
from the recognition of humanistic, cultural, and international
dimensions of education. Educators have to be encouraged to realize this
and start emphasizing on value-based education in schools. We, at
Shantikunj have been advocating the implementation of value-based
education among Indian schools.
Addressing the need to
introduce value-based education in schools in August 2002, the National
Council for Education Research and Training (N.C.E.R.T.) organized a
program on “National Consultation on Value Education in Indian
Schools—Experiences and Strategies of Implementation.” Similarly, the
Parliamentary Committee in India, in its 81st report on value-based
education in 1999, strongly suggested that it be introduced at the
school level and extended to college and university level. In the
secondary stage, some advanced values, which are of vital importance for
national integration, should be integrated into the syllabus. According
to the committee, “Education should aim at multifaceted development of a
human being—his intellectual, physical, spiritual, and ethical
development. Youth is the mirror in which future of a nation is fully
reflected. In order to preserve, maintain and advance the position of
our country in the world, it is imperative that there should be a
comprehensive program of value-based education starting from the
pre-primary level, embracing the entire spectrum of educational
process”.
The study of moral and ethical values that
make us a perfect person can be considered value-based education
.Experts of value-based education believe that educating students about
values is more important than just teaching them algebra, biology, or
even literature. Mahatma Gandhi once said that education not only moulds
the new generation but also reflects a society’s fundamental
assumptions about itself and the individuals that compose it. His views
are reflected in the following:
“The real difficulty is that
people have no idea of what education truly is. We assess the value of
education in the same manner as we assess the value of land or of shares
in the stock-exchange market. We want to provide only such education as
would enable the student to earn more. We hardly give any thought to
the improvement of the character of the educated. As long as such ideas
persist there is no hope of our ever knowing the true value of
education”
More recently, the Special Subject Group on
Policy Framework for Private Investment in Education, Health, and Rural
Development in India stated, “Unfortunately, training of young minds on
values has taken a back seat in Indian society, given its obsession
with material pursuits. Compounding this is the fact that there are
hardly any role models in public life. Today there is a crisis of
character in Indian society. To build a society with good character and
citizenship, it is important that value education is introduced in
preschool and reinforced in primary, secondary, and higher education”.
A
normal educational course has three ingredients (1) providing general
and specific information and knowledge, (2) teaching skills, and (3)
inculcating moral values. But today’s education system caters mainly to
the first process, with little emphasis on the second and minimum or no
emphasis on the third.
We through BSGP wish to mould the basic structure of education in
Indian schools to cater to the point made in number 3 above. We are
modulating the curriculum in accordance to the demand of the times.
Schools need to strongly value “peaceful coexistence with people from
other cultures” and “pride for the country, the national anthem, and
national flag.”
We have devised a
curriculum which encourages students to feel pride for their country,
and respect for the national culture, national anthem and the flag, with
themes like “Proud to Be Indian, fostering the spirit of nationalism,
love of our ancient civilization, and teaching the biography of the
eminent people of India.
“Respect for the
teacher (standing while talking to him/her)” is a core Indian value that
still persists but in patches “Our vision of universal values program
will help students develop the values, principles, and ethics that are
respected, admired, and accepted in all cultures around the world.
Students have to be taught healthy social attitudes and a spirit of
humanity, providing the ethical foundations and social skills to guide
them through life.” To achieve this, the schools have to undertake a
“variety of activities and experiences based on the understanding of
universal values, which teaches students to make positive contributions
to their peers, their schools, and the community.”
The celebration of Indian festivals and important days in Indian
history requires apprising students of their cultural significance. We
have incorporated this in BSGP books.
“Honesty,” “truthfulness,” “care and concern for other’s rights,”
“brotherhood,” and “frequent prayer calls” are other values that our
schools need to emphasize to students. Therefore, it is very clear that
the students in Indian schools adhere to educational and cultural value
systems and their schools emphasize these values through various
programs and activities
